If the Capitals aren’t already among the league’s top contenders, they’re on the precipice of joining the Elite Three of Boston, San Jose and Detroit and GM George McPhee should make moves based on that assumption.

If he and coach Bruce Boudreau aren’t completely confident with Jose Theodore as a goalie who can lead them to the Promised Land, go out and make a pitch for a new top ‘tender. If any high-end or depth forward or blueliner becomes available, McPhee should pounce. Even if the asking price is a first round pick, a prized prospect like Karl Alzner, or a combination of the two, McPhee should lean toward the here-and-now side of the equation.

Because as the Penguins are proving this season, the window for winning can shut awfully quickly.

With Brad Richards (wrist) and Toby Petersen (foot) possibly out until early April, there is a big hole at center. With Sergei Zubov (hip) gone until the summer, there still is a need for a high-level defenseman. With Marty Turco playing every game, a veteran backup goalie might not hurt.

And yet the Stars might not get any of that.

They might simply try to push forward with what they have and hope the injured can return in time to help out.

Why not do more? Well, the co-GMs might, if they can find the right player. And they can make the dollars fit.

I’ll say it: I’m hoping we get to see a Sharks-Red Wings Western Conference finals series. Hey, I don’t mean to irritate the other 13 Western teams. I wish them all the best. Still, I want to see a best-of-seven series between the defending champs and their top challenger. I think that would be something special.

The Flyers would like to improve their blue line and Bouwmeester would be a significant upgrade.

There are a few problems getting in the way of a possible deal.

First and foremost, the Flyers have salary-cap issues. They would need to trade the equivalent or greater salary to Florida in order to fit Bouwmeester on the roster. Bouwmeester makes $4.875 million.

Secondly, Bouwmeester, 25, is an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season. If the Flyers were to make a deal for the defenseman, they would want to make sure they could sign him to a long-term deal. Trading for him as a rental wouldn’t be prudent, especially considering what he’s going to cost.

Which leads to problem No. 3: The Panthers want an NHL-caliber defenseman to replace him and an NHL forward, yet they don’t want to take too much salary back in return.

You see, one of these days Glen Sather will announce that he actually retired in 1992 but hasn’t bothered to inform anyone yet. Then the Rangers may have a chance of going somewhere. The Tortorella signing unusually was clever, even for Sather.

That’s like messing up the cycle of free agency for the still irrelevant Sather. But getting Tortorella, man, this guy’s a pistol and when he’s comfortable enough to be himself, New York will eat him up with a spoon. He will be that delicious. He gives good sound byte. Even if he can’t change that dysfunctional roster which got a little bit stranger yesterday with Sather’s latest bit of sleep-walking, the claiming of Mark Bell on waivers from the Maple Leafs.